Beautiful Stranger
by Kendra Luehr
Summary: MAD BEAUTY- When Belle is forced to hide in an old trunk, she soon finds her world upside down when she's transported to a hatter's humble abode. Will she and Jefferson tear down one another's walls, or will she return to wed Gaston?


**A/N: **This is a little plot bunny I've had for quite some time. I would've _loved_ for Jefferson and Belle to have met after Rumple kicked her out, but unfortunately that doesn't seem likely at this point. So, just so things will be different from what happened on the show, I've decided to make this completely AU. Belle has never met Rumpelstiltskin, so when she is transported to Jefferson's home, she is still completely, one-hundred percent betrothed to Gaston. **  
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Other than that, I'll admit I write Belle as a bit of a spoiled brat at times. I just can't realistically see a princess being selfless and an expert on love, so at times I throw in a bit of how I think she REALLY would've been. I wish the writers had kept Belle a peasant girl, because I believe that is what helped her be able to see the true beauty in Beast. But don't worry, she's not so spoiled that she comes off as abrasive. I want to have BELLE transform just as much as Beast did in the original fairy tale, so that's why she'll eventually grow to be as sweet and selfless as the movie version. So, yeah. Hopefully you'll enjoy this first chapter!

**CH 1: A New World**

"Princess! You must come quickly!"

Immediately moving away from the window, Belle quivered as she rushed from her bed to the tall, pale-faced soldier in the doorway. "Reynard, where is my father?"

"In the secret room with Sir Gaston – the ogres have managed to storm past the barricades, and are now unleashing their wrath upon the court."

Hands fluttering to her throat in horror, Belle gave a feeble moan before shaking her head. "Well then quickly, you must take me to them! Perhaps I can help!"

Reynard almost appeared to pity her in that moment, and this naturally made Belle angry. All her life men had treated her as though she were a delicate, weak little female without an iota of common sense, and it was beginning to grate on her last nerve. Was she not well-read and informed? Was she not the great Sir Maurice's daughter?

Now, however, was not the time to badger her guard to respect her authority.

With a deep and cleansing breath, Belle instead ordered, "Take me to the servants quarters – if I cannot be of use to my father, perhaps I can assist the hired help in their escape."

Reynard appeared as though she were completely daft. "Princess, did you not hear me? The _ogres_ are here, so I have been ordered to take you to safety!"

When he reached for her, however, Belle drew back and childishly stamped her foot. "I will _not_ go without the rest of my kingdom! What kind of example are we setting if we lead our own people to the slaughter?"

In that instant, a tumult of screams and horrendous growls arose, and Reynard turned his terrified gaze to Belle's. "Forgive me, sweet princess, but I fear you are now on your own." And with that, the cowardly fool ran off to leave her to fend for herself.

"Oh! That impudent simpleton!" she seethed, now searching madly about for some sort of weapon. Spotting a decorative sword on the wall, she raised up on her tiptoes (unfortunately she was rather diminutive), and managed to remove the weapon from its perch (but not without a bit of comical staggering).

Just as she turned with the blade in hand, Belle gave a cry when two beastly creatures came barreling toward her at top speed. Their large, gaping maws were stained with blood, and she shrieked when the closer of the two swiped at her trembling form. The force of the impact caused her sword to go sailing to the floor with a loud clatter, and Belle now found herself backed up against the wall.

"Here! Over here, you foul brutes!"

Panicking, Belle glanced just as the ogres did at Gaston, her clear blue eyes wide with terror since she knew he couldn't take them both on his own. "Gaston, I-!" But his stern glare silenced her, and she knew that yet _again_ she was allowing a man to make the decisions for her. Oh, why couldn't she be the one to save her people, even if it was just this once?

Instead doing as she was told, Belle hitched up the skirts to her gold gown and went racing back toward the only sanctuary she knew: her mother's room. She had long since passed, but this didn't mean that Belle didn't visit the quiet space from time to time. Now shuffling into the room on slippered feet, she glanced around her for a potential hiding place, and gave a pleased little "Oh!" when she spotted exactly what she was looking for.

Rushing over to her mother's dress trunk, Belle lifted the rickety lid before trying her best to abate the sudden cloud of dust. Suppressing a sneeze, she realized she could still hear the telltale growls in the distance, so she knew that now was the moment that she must make her move.

Quivering, Belle wasted no more time and eased herself into the tight, confined space, only to give a loud, resounding scream when she realized that…that her leg had gone through a _hat!_ She was falling – oh God, she was going to _die!_ – and nausea clawed at her gut as her nerves tingled from the freeing sensation.

It seemed like all eternity before she finally came back to solid ground, and when she finally did, she came to a shameful realization. She was now flat on her back with her legs parted, and she very much resembled a tractable whore. Cheeks coloring at the thought, she quickly moved to sit up, but gave a cry when she realized she was no longer in her castle. Where the devil _was_ she, and why was everything so small and modest? In the land where she resided, her surroundings were always so opulent and beautiful!

Repulsed by the griminess that enclosed her, Belle gave a huff and managed to dizzily rise to her feet. Still unsteady, she began to walk about her like a lost and frightened child, her eyes wide as new horrors began to surface.

"Papa," she weakly whimpered, now on the verge of tears. Oh, what would become of him? And Gaston! Had he succumbed to the ferocious beasts, or was he now bragging over a toddy in celebration?

Still upset, Belle moved to go into the other room of the small home, only to cry out when a small girl entered at the same instant. "Oh! I-I'm terribly sorry, I just…just…"

"Are you lost?" the girl interrupted, her sweet visage appearing concerned as she stepped forward. "My papa can help you…he helps a lot of people with his magical hat."

Belle paled. "A…a _hat?_ But I just…that is to say…"

"Grace, who are you talking to?"

"A pretty lady, papa! I think she's lost!" the girl called, only to beam with pride when her father stepped into the room. It was quite clear that the child thought the world of this man, and when Belle lifted her blue eyes to inspect him for herself, she couldn't help but blush. He was surprisingly handsome – she'd never seen many members of the lower class, but she'd always been led to believe that royals were the most becoming creatures.

Instead of behaving like the lower class, however, the man gave her a warm smile and acknowledged, "She's very pretty, indeed. Is there anything I can help you with, madam, or are you just passing through?"

"I…I don't know…" Belle confessed, only to suddenly break into a swoon. Dropping down to her knees before anyone could come to her aid, she managed to keep from fainting as she dizzily leaned forward onto her hands. She could feel the stranger stroke her hair as he tried to get her to look up at him, but it was at that moment that she realized he had a bountiful view of her bosoms.

Embarrassed and flushing from head to toe, Belle flopped back onto her rump so that she was no longer bearing any cleavage to the poor man. The stranger, however, was a gentleman and didn't seem the slightest bit interested in her breasts.

"There now, are you ill? Perhaps you need to lie down for a spell?"

Placing a hand to her cheek, Belle felt the blood rush to her face as she agreed, "Y-yes, that…that would be lovely, dear sir. Whom is it I should be thanking in all of this kindness?"

"Jefferson and Grace," the man blithely returned. "Now if you'll come with me, I can take you to-"

"Give her some of mother's clothes!" his daughter interjected. "I don't feel she can rest very well in that gold gown, so it's the least we could do."

The light in Jefferson's eyes dimmed, but it went unnoticed by his companions. "Yes…yes, you're quite right. Thank you, Grace."

Belle huffed. She just so happened to _adore_ her finery, but if everyone felt it so necessary to change, she decided she would do as they suggested. Following Jefferson down a narrow hallway and into what appeared to be a bedroom, she folded her arms and watched him riffle through a closet. It was a small little space, but inside was an assortment of shabby dresses.

"These belong to your wife?" Belle asked, a bit disbelieving since she'd never seen such dirty garments.

Jefferson's shoulders stiffened, and his eyes grew blank as he softly returned, "Yes… Yes, they did."

_"Did?_ Oh! Forgive me, I didn't mean-"

"It's nothing," the hatter snapped, his gaze filled with a distance that deeply pained Belle. She'd never seen a man so sad before that instant, and it hurt her heart to realize that _she_ had been the one to make him feel this way. "Is there anything else you need, Lady...um...?"

"Belle," she offered, relieved that the subject seemed to be slightly abated. "Are you alright?"

Jefferson gave a grim shrug of the shoulders, and the princess couldn't help but wince. Feeling helpless as to how she could relieve him of his agony, Belle instead took the blue gown and timidly drew it to her bosom. Biting her bottom lip, she ventured a soft, "Thank you," and watched as Jefferson wordlessly stormed out of the room. The door slammed shut far louder than necessary, and the princess cringed as she bowed her head and sank onto her bed.

She, herself, had been orphaned at a young age, so she wished she could assure Jefferson and Grace that she knew _exactly_ what they were going through. And yet, judging by the hatter's reaction, she knew it wouldn't be too wise to bring up the subject again.

_'Tomorrow,'_ she thought, nodding as she got under the covers, _'Tomorrow I will think about it.'_ With any luck, she would open her eyes and realize it had all been a dream.

**A/N****: **It's admittedly short, but it seemed an appropriate place to stop. I love this couple, so I hope to explore them more deeply as season two starts. Here's hoping Belle will confront Jefferson to ask how he knew she was locked away! I mean, if I were Belle, I know _I'd_ have questions! So yeah...hope you enjoyed and would like a continuation! :)


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